News Briefs

What you need to know in local, national and global news

New York State offers UB medical school grant to combat opioid epidemic

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) has given a grant to the Jacobs School of Medicine and the Research Institute on Addictions (RIA). The grant will help facilitate a statewide program to train medical professionals in treating opioid addictions, focusing on 16 high-risk areas identified by OASAS.

“Thanks to this OASAS initiative, we will be able to address a critical need in our state and help potentially thousands of people who struggle with heroin and prescription opioid addiction,” RIA Director Kenneth Leonard said in a statement.

Campus Dining and Shops is launching a joint initiative with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County to lower sodium content in food sold on campus, in an effort to encourage healthier eating habits. The initiative is part of a five-year, $1.975 million grant from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Sodium Reduction in Communities Program. The program aims to reduce sodium consumption on college campuses as well as early childhood centers.

Local

Randolph man accused of fleeing from police

30-year-old Heath E. Zawatski is charged with driving while impaired by drugs and failing to cooperate with police. Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office received reports of a vehicle operating erratically on Dutch Hill Road Saturday night.

Deputies successfully located the vehicle, but the driver sped off and tried to flee. The chase ended after the driver crashed into a ditch, ending up pinned under his vehicle. Zawatski was treated for non-life threatening injuries and will appear in Ellery Town Court. An appearance date has not been set yet.

Multiple people injured on Darien Lake ride

Multiple people were injured on the Silver Bullet ride at Darien Lake around 5:12 p.m. on Saturday. The injuries occurred while the ride was coming to a stop, and guests were treated on site by the Darien Lake first aid team, according to a statement from Darien Lake manager Chris Thorpe.

“The Silver Bullet, and all of our rides, receive standard daily inspections each morning. After injuries were reported, our safety crews conducted an assessment and confirmed that the ride is operating safely within standard guidelines,” Thorpe said in the statement.

National

O.J. Simpson freed on parole

O.J. Simpson was released on parole Sunday morning, after serving nine years in Nevada state prison for armed robbery. Simpson was released from Lovelock Correctional Center in northern Nevada at 12:08 a.m. Nevada Department of Correction’s Public Information Officer Brooke Keast told The Associated Press she did not know who met with Simpson upon his release, nor did she know where he was headed following his release.

Trump lashes out at San Juan mayor for response to Hurricane Maria

President Trump accused San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz of “poor leadership” in a series of tweets Saturday. He claimed that the Democrats instructed her to be “nasty” to him. He also blamed her for the territory's struggles following Hurricane Maria, stating that Mayor Cruz was not able to get workers to help with relief efforts.

“They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort,” Trump tweeted.

Cruz expressed confusion about Trump’s verbal attack.

“All I did last week, or even this week, was ask for help,” Cruz said in an interview on ABC’s “This Week.” “It has to happen in a sustained manner. It has to happen quickly.”

Global

Trump says Secretary of State Tillerson “wasting his time” negotiating with North Korea

President Trump attacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Twitter Sunday morning, following recent efforts by Tillerson to communicate with North Korea. Tillerson indicated that he was open to having talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, during his visit to China on Saturday. Trump, however, feels Tillerson is “wasting his time” trying to negotiate with “Little Rocket Man.” Trump also suggested he is looking to military action, adding in a second tweet that he will “do what has to be done.”

Five injured in Canadian terror incidents

Canadian authorities are investigating a potential attack of terrorism in Edmonton after a police officer directing traffic outside of a football game was hit by a car and then stabbed several times.

The man driving the vehicle that struck the officer went on to hit four pedestrians. The police officer was taken to the hospital, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, according to a statement from Edmonton police. Police suspect the attack was an act of terror after discovering an Islamic State flag in the vehicle that struck the officer and pedestrians.